APPT Auckland Day 1b: Level 7 (blinds 300-600, ante 75)

The last four hands didn't produce any noteworthy action to bring our day to a close. Approximately 58 players have survived to make it safely through to day two with Nauv Kashyap, Michael Kroger and Koray Turker our likely chip leaders.

Team PokerStars Pro Lee "Final Table" Nelson has also made it through in good shape with 39,625 chips.

We'll have a complete wrap of the day, with updated chip counts for you shortly, but in the meantime Lee Nelson and James Bernard are back for their thoughts on the day's action.

7:55pm: Unlucky Lai

It hasn't been a good end to the day for PokerStars qualifier Dan Lai. He's crashed and burned in two hands in rather unfortunate fashion. In a battle of the blinds with Martin Balaz, Lai flopped the second nuts with K♠2♠ and the chips were in on the turn on the board of Q♠J♠5♠J♦. Balaz opened T♦T♠ and unbelievably spiked the T♥ on the river much to the disgust of Lai who virtually stood and flung hit chair to the ground.

It didn't get much better for Lai when he moved his last chips in preflop with A♠Q♠ but ran into the K♥K♦ of Leo Boxell. The board ran out 5♠7♥2♦5♣9♣ to end Lai's tournament as Boxell moved up to 65,000 as the day's play draws towards a close.

7:40pm: Play slows

Play appears to have slowed up late here on Day 1b as the players appear content to nurse their stacks safely into Day 2 tomorrow. After doubling up in one of the first hands of the day, Michael Kroger has moved his stack into the chip lead, with Nauv Kashyap, Julius Colman and Koray Turker close behind.

7:33pm: Small one for Soren

After the elimination of his brother a short time ago, Soren is left to fly the flag for the Smith-Hansen family and he's just chipped up in a small pot against Richard Lancaster.Smith-Hansen raised under the gun to 1,450 with Richard Lancaster calling in the big blind to see a flop of 3♠4♠7♥. Lancaster checked and Smith-Hansen fired 2,150. Lancaster called before both players checked the A♣ turn.

The river brought the 3♣ and Lancaster checked to Smith-Hansen who fired 3,800 which was enough to take it down.

"Did you have a pair?" asked Lancaster, but Smith-Hansen replied that he had a busted draw as Lancaster was frustrated that he didn't put his opponent to the test.

Smith-Hansen sits on 23,000 as Lancaster is down to 28,500.

7:15pm: Set over set jumps Colman into the chip lead

Set over set. It's the cooler situation that is made for big action, with one player joyous as another is left to lick his wounds and rue his misfortune.

In the biggest pot of the day so far, Julius Colman raised from early position to 1,600 with Richard Lancaster making the call in late position to see a flop of K♠J♥4♦ - and what a flop it would turn out to be.

Colman led out for 2,200 before Lancaster bumped it to 5,200. Colman responded with another raise to 14,200 before Lancaster moved all in with Colman making the call!

Colman: K♦K♥Lancaster: 4♥4♠

Ouch! Lancaster couldn't find a miracle one-outer as the 3♦ turn and Q♥ river completed the board. Colman helps himself to a stack of 80,000 and the tournament chip lead as Lancaster crashes back down to Earth and a stack of 34,000.

Julius Colman snatches the chip lead late on Day 1b

7:00pm: Play resumes

The players are back in action for the last level of the day. ANZPT Gold Coast winner Nauv Kashyap and PokerStars qualifier Keven Petersen are amongst the chip leaders, and just before the break we caught them tangling in a pot.

Petersen raised to 1,200 from under the gun and found two callers before Kashyap three-bet to 4,200. Petersen was the lone caller and the two checked the board of 9♣Q♦8♠2♥6♣ through to the river where Kashyap check-folded to the bet of 5,300 from Petersen. Kashyap is back to 75,000 with Petersen up to 70,000.

ANZPT Gold Coast winner Nauv Kashyap is making another strong run here in Auckland